Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of a conveyor belt

ABSTRACT

The speed of travel of a conveyor belt is electrically transmitted to a weighing system by a unitary mechanism mounted relative to the conveyor belt and including a friction wheel contacting the conveyor belt under pressure to be rotated at a speed proportional to the speed of travel of the conveyor belt and a pulser wheel rotated by the traction wheel in proximity to an induction coil generating digital speed signals.

United States Patent [191 Rebucci 1451 July 3, 1973 1 MECHANISM FORELECTRICALLY TRANSMITTING THE SPEED OF TRAVEL OF A CONVEYOR BELT [75]Inventor: Eugene L. Rebucci, Union City, NJ.

[73] Assignee: Merrick Scale Mlg. Company,

Passaic, NJ. 9

22 Filed: Feb. 24, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 229,238

[52] US. Cl... 318/327, 74/242.11, 198/39 [51] G0lp 3/02 [58] Field ofSearch 318/326, 327, 328,

318/312, 314, 318; 33/129, 132; 226/42; 74/242.11 R,'242.8, 242.9,242.10, 11, 12; 310/68; ZOO/61.13; 317/5; 198/203, 184, 39

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Lyons 198/39 X 2,999,2959/1961 Manning et a1... 318/312 X 3,539,085 1 1/1970 Anderson et a1.226/42 X 2,139,397 12/1938 Wigg1esw0rth..; 74/242.ll R

Primary Examiner--J. D. Miller Assistant Examiner-Robert J. HickeyAttorney-John A. Seifert 57 ABSTRACT The speed of travel of a conveyorbelt is electrically transmitted to a weighing system by a unitarymechanism mounted relative to the conveyor belt and including a frictionwheel contacting the conveyorbelt under pressure to be rotated at aspeed proportional to the speed of travel of the conveyor belt and apulser wheel rotated by the traction wheel in proximity to an inductioncoil generating digital speed signals.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures Patented July 3, 1973 3,743,913

2 Sheets-Sheet l F'IGZ.

Pa tented July- 3, 1973 3,743,913

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MECHANISM FOR ELECTRICALLY TRANSMITTING TIIE SPEED OFTRAVEL OF A CONVEYOR BELT The object of the invention is to produce anaccurate digital speed signal by a unitary mechanism mounted relative toa conveyor belt and thereby eliminating transmission of the speed oftravel of the conveyor belt to mechanism for generating a digital speedsignal located at a point remote from the conveyor belt.

The invention comprises a first casing mounted adjacent to the conveyorbelt and arranged with an induction coil juxtaposed to a pulser wheelrotatably supported by said casing and connected to a train of gears ofa predetermined ratio mounted in a second casing pivotally supported bythe first casing. A traction wheel is rotatably carried by the secondcasing and operatively connected to the train of gears whereby rotationof the traction wheel will be transmitted by the train gears to thepulser wheel which activates the induction coil to generate digitalspeed signals. The first casing is mounted to position the tractionwheel in contact with the conveyor belt and the traction wheel isyieldingly urged into contact with the conveyor belt by a helical springhaving the ends anchored in the first and second casings. The firstcasing is provided with a plurality of holes into which the end of thespring anchored in said first casing may be positioned to increase ordecrease the pressure applied to the traction wheel.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this application:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the unitary mechamsm;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the two casings and traction wheel, on areduced scale, looking at the right hand side of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 3-3of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The embodiment of the invention is mounted on the supporting structure,as indicated at 4 in FIG. 1, of a conveyor belt 5, as shown in FIGS. 1and 2.

An electric conductor terminal box 6 is secured to the structure 4 bybolts engaged in ears extended from the box, as shown at 7 in FIG. 1.

A first casing 8 is connected to and supported by the structure 4 andthe terminal box 6 by a coupling 9. The first casing 8 is provided withbosses 10 in the top and bottom walls thereof for connection with thecoupling 9. The boss 10 not being used is closed by a plug 11, as shownin FIGS. 1 and 2. The casing 8 is closed by a cover 12 and the wall ofthe casing 8 opposite the cover 12 is provided with a tubularprotuberance 13 for rotatably supporting a shaft 14 having one endportion extended into the first casing 8 and having a nickel platedpulser wheel 15 secured thereto. The periphery of the pulser wheel 15 isprovided with a predetermined number of equidistantly spaced teeth 16,as shown in FIG. 3, travelling pass an induction coil 17 adjustablymounted in a bracket 18 secured to the wall of the casing provided withthe protuberance 13. The induction coil I7 is provided with apredetermined number of electric conductors 19, shown as three innumber, which are passed through the boss 10 and the coupling 9 into theterminal box 6.

The tubular protuberance l3 pivotally supports a second casing 20 by aball bearing race 21 in a recess 22 in the end of the protuberance 13and rotatably supporting the shaft 14. A felt washer 23 is in the recess22 between the ball bearing race 21 and the casing 20 to dust seal theconnection between the casings 8 and '20. The second casing 20 isprovided with a train of gears 24 of a predetermined ratio connectingthe shaft 14 to a shaft 25 rotatably supported by the casing 20 andprovided with a traction wheel 26 yieldingly urged against the conveyorbelt 5 by a helical spring 27 coiled around the protuberance l3 andhaving one end anchored in the casing 20,- as at 28 in FIG. 3, and theopposite end of the spring 27 is adapted to be engaged in a hole of anannular series of holes 29 equidistantly spaced in a shoulder 30 of thecasing 8 circumscribing the protuberance 13. The series of holes 29 areprovided to vary the force applied to the traction wheel 26 and maintainthe proper contact between the traction wheel 26 and the conveyor belt5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of aconveyor belt of a weighing system, comprising a first casing mountedrelative to the conveyor belt, a pulser wheel rotatably mounted in thefirst casing, a second casing pivotally supported by the first casing, atraction wheel rotatably supported by the second casing, a-train ofgears of predetermined ratio enclosed by the second casing andoperatively connecting the traction wheel to the pulser wheel, and aninduction coil supported by thefirst casingin proximity to the peripheryof the pulser wheel to generate digital speed signals representing thespeed of travel of the conveyor belt. I

2. Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of aconveyor belt as claimed in'claim 1, a spring anchored to the first andsecond casings and arranged to maintain the traction wheel in contactwith the conveyor belt.

3. Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of aconveyor belt as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first casing isprovided with a tubular protuberance for pivotally supporting the secondcasing and confining the spring, and a shaft rotatably supported in theprotuberance and connecting the train of gears to the pulser wheel.

4. Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of aconveyor belt as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first casing isprovided with an annular series of spaced holes for anchoring one end ofthe spring to vary the tension of the spring.

. it in, o: s e I

1. Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of aconveyor belt of a weighing system, comprising a first casing mountedrelative to the conveyor belt, a pulser wheel rotatably mounted in thefirst casing, a second casing pivotally supported by the first casing, atraction wheel rotatably supported by the second casing, a train ofgears of predetermined ratio enclosed by the second casing andoperatively connecting the traction wheel to the pulser wheel, and aninduction coil supported by the first casing in proximity to theperiphery of the pulser wheel to generate digital speed signalsrepresenting the speed of travel of the conveyor belt.
 2. Mechanism forelectrically transmitting the speed of travel of a conveyor belt asclaimed in claim 1, a spring anchored to the first and second casingsand arranged to maintain the traction wheel in contact with the conveyorbelt.
 3. Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel ofa conveyor belt as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first casing isprovided with a tubular protuberance for pivotally supporting the secondcasing and confining the spring, and a shaft rotatably supported in theprotuberance and connecting the train of gears to the pulser wheel. 4.Mechanism for electrically transmitting the speed of travel of aconveyor belt as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first casing isprovided with an annular series of spaced holes for anchoring one end ofthe spring to vary the tension of the spring.